Bride And Groom Thank You Speech Examples: Sample Ideas & Examples

Okay So Thank You Speeches Are Actually Not That Scary

Right so you’re freaking out about your thank you speech and I totally get it because honestly like 60% of the couples I work with put this off until the literal week before the wedding. Which drives me kinda nuts because it’s actually one of the easier things to nail if you just sit down and do it.

The basic structure is pretty simple and once you see it you’ll be like oh okay that’s it? Yeah. That’s it. You thank people, you tell maybe one or two stories, you toast, you sit down. Done.

The Basic Framework That Actually Works

So here’s what I tell everyone and this comes from watching probably 200+ weddings at this point. You want to hit these beats:

• Welcome everyone and thank them for coming
• Thank your parents specifically
• Thank your new spouse and say something nice about them
• Thank the wedding party if you want
• Maybe mention someone who couldn’t be there
• Raise a glass

That’s literally it. You don’t need to write a novel or make everyone cry or be hilarious. Just hit those points and you’re golden.

Sample Speech For The Groom

“Good evening everyone. Sarah and I are so grateful you’re all here to celebrate with us tonight. When we started planning this day we honestly didn’t realize how much work goes into… well, everything. But seeing all of you here makes it worth it.

I need to thank my parents first. Mom and Dad, you’ve supported me through everything, including that questionable phase in college we don’t talk about anymore. Thank you for raising me to be someone worthy of Sarah. And to Sarah’s parents, thank you for raising this incredible woman and for welcoming me into your family. Even though I know you were skeptical when we said we were getting married after only dating for eight months.

Sarah, I don’t even know where to start. You make me laugh every single day. You put up with my obsession with fantasy football. You pretend to like my cooking even when it’s terrible. I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I’m the luckiest guy here.

To my groomsmen, thanks for standing up here with me and for that bachelor party that I’ve been sworn to secrecy about. And to the bridesmaids, thank you for keeping Sarah sane during this whole process.

I also want to mention my grandfather who passed away last year. He would have loved this party, especially the open bar. Grandpa Joe, we miss you.

So everyone, please raise your glasses. To love, to family, to friends, and to my beautiful wife Sarah. Cheers!”

Sample Speech For The Bride

“Hi everyone! I’m gonna try not to cry during this but no promises. Thank you all so much for being here tonight. It means everything to us that you traveled here, got dressed up, and are celebrating with us.

Mom and Dad, where do I even start? You’ve given me everything. You taught me what a good marriage looks like. You supported every crazy dream I’ve had. You paid for way too much of this wedding even though we told you not to. I love you both so much. And to Mark’s parents, thank you for raising such an amazing man and for treating me like a daughter from day one.

Mark, you’re my best friend. I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true. You’re the person I want to tell everything to. You make even boring errands fun. Remember when we spent three hours at Home Depot looking at tiles and somehow it was actually enjoyable? That’s when I knew you were the one. I can’t wait for all our adventures together.

To my bridesmaids, you guys are incredible. Thank you for dealing with my bridezilla moments, for the planning help, for listening to me stress about seating charts for literally months. I love you all.

Everyone please stand and raise your glass. To my husband Mark, to our families, to all of you. Thank you for making this the best day of our lives. Cheers!”

When You’re Doing A Joint Speech

Okay so this is actually becoming more common and I kinda love it because it takes the pressure off one person. In summer 2021 I had this couple who were both super nervous about public speaking so they just… traded off every few sentences and it worked perfectly.

Here’s how that looks:

Groom: “Good evening everyone. We’re so happy you’re all here.”

Bride: “Seriously, looking out at all these faces, we’re just overwhelmed. Thank you for coming.”

Groom: “We want to thank our parents first. Mom and Dad, and Linda and Robert, you’ve all been so supportive.”

Bride: “Not just with the wedding but with everything. We wouldn’t be here without you. Literally, in multiple ways.”

Groom: “To our wedding party, thank you for standing with us today and for all your help.”

Bride: “And for pretending that our planning timeline made sense.”

Groom: “To my beautiful wife—”

Bride: “I still can’t believe I get to call you my husband—”

Both: “We’re so excited for this next chapter. Everyone please raise your glasses. Cheers!”

What Annoys Me About Thank You Speeches

Okay can I just vent for a second? The thing that drives me absolutely crazy is when couples try to thank every single person individually. Like they’ll be up there for 15 minutes going “and thank you to Aunt Susan for the beautiful cake stand and Uncle Rob for the…” NO. Stop. Your guests are hungry or drunk or both and they don’t need a detailed acknowledgment of every gift.

Keep it general. “Thank you to everyone who gave us gifts, sent cards, and supported us.” Done. Save the individual thanks for your thank you cards which you’re gonna write anyway.

Adding Personal Touches Without Being Cringe

So you want your speech to feel personal but not like overly sappy or inside-joke-heavy that no one else gets. The sweet spot is mentioning specific moments that illustrate something universal.

Like instead of: “Remember that time we went to that place and did that thing? Classic us!”

Try: “We had our first date at a coffee shop and I was so nervous I ordered three lattes by accident. But you just laughed and helped me drink them. That’s when I knew you were special.”

See the difference? The second one paints a picture everyone can relate to even if they weren’t there.

If You’re Mentioning Someone Who Passed Away

This comes up a lot and it’s totally fine to include but keep it brief. You don’t want to bring down the whole mood. Something like:

“We’re thinking of my brother Tom today who we lost two years ago. He would have loved this party and probably would have already requested Shout three times by now. We miss you, Tom.”

Then move on. Don’t dwell. The reception is a celebration and while it’s important to acknowledge absence, you don’t want everyone crying into their salads.

Actual Real Examples From Weddings I’ve Done

In spring 2023 I had a groom who was terrified of public speaking like literally shaking. His speech was maybe 90 seconds long and it was perfect:

“Thank you all for coming. Jessica and I are so grateful. To our parents, thank you for everything. To my wife Jessica, I love you more than I can say which is good because I’m really bad at saying things in front of crowds. Everyone please raise your glass to Jessica. Cheers.”

Boom. Done. Everyone loved it because it was genuine and brief.

Then I had another couple where the bride was a professional speaker and she gave this like 8-minute speech that had everyone laughing and crying and it was also perfect because it fit her personality.

The point is there’s no one right way to do this.

Templates You Can Actually Use

Super Short Version:

“Thank you everyone for being here tonight. To our parents, thank you for your love and support always. To my spouse, I love you and I’m so lucky. To everyone here, thank you for celebrating with us. Cheers!”

Medium Length Version:

“Good evening everyone. [Spouse] and I want to thank you all for being here to celebrate with us. Your presence means the world to us.

To our parents, we can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for us, not just for this wedding but throughout our lives. You’ve shown us what love and commitment look like.

To our wedding party, thank you for standing with us today and for all your support during the planning process.

And to my [husband/wife], you’re my best friend and my favorite person. I can’t wait to spend forever with you.

Everyone please raise your glasses. To love, to family, and to all of you. Cheers!”

Timing And Delivery Tips

Okay so when do you actually give this speech? Usually it’s during dinner, either right when everyone sits down or between courses. I usually recommend doing it after everyone has their first course because people are settled but not too full and sleepy yet.

Some couples do it during the toasts section with the best man and maid of honor speeches. That works too but then you’re potentially sitting through like 4-5 speeches in a row and honestly people’s attention spans aren’t that great.

For delivery, here’s what I always say: write it down and bring the paper with you. I don’t care if you think you’ll remember it. You won’t. You’ll be nervous and probably had a drink and there are 150 people staring at you. Bring. The. Paper.

Actually you know what, my cat just jumped on my keyboard and I lost my train of thought but anyway… oh right, delivery tips.

Practice But Don’t Memorize

Read through your speech a few times so you’re familiar with it but don’t try to memorize it word for word. That’s when you sound robotic or you forget a line and panic. Just be comfortable with the general flow and then read it naturally.

Also like make sure you can actually read your handwriting or print it in a big font. I’ve seen grooms squinting at tiny scribbled notes and it’s just awkward for everyone.

What If You’re Really Really Nervous

Some options:

• Keep it super short (see my 90-second example above)
• Do a joint speech with your spouse so you’re not alone up there
• Have a drink first but not like three drinks, just one to take the edge off
• Remember that everyone there loves you and wants you to succeed
• Focus on one friendly face in the crowd while you’re talking

Honestly the anticipation is worse than the actual doing of it. Every single couple I’ve worked with who was nervous about their speech has told me afterwards “that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

Things To Avoid

Don’t make inside jokes that only three people will understand. Don’t tell embarrassing stories about your spouse without running it by them first. Don’t mention ex-boyfriends or girlfriends even as a joke because someone’s mom will take it seriously. Don’t get too drunk before the speech or you’ll regret it when you watch the video later.

Also maybe don’t do what one groom did and try to freestyle rap his thank you speech because unless you’re actually a rapper it’s gonna be… well it was something alright.

The Thank You Card Connection

Quick side note but your speech doesn’t replace thank you cards. You still gotta write those. I know, I know, it’s annoying but it’s important. Your speech is for the big picture gratitude, the cards are for specific gifts and gestures.

But you can use similar language and sentiments in both which actually makes the card writing easier because you’ve already articulated your gratitude once.

Different Family Situations

If your parents are divorced, you can thank them separately: “To my mom and stepdad, and to my dad and stepmom, thank you all for your love and support.”

If you have estranged family members, you don’t have to mention them. Just thank “our families” generally.

If your parents didn’t contribute to the wedding, you can still thank them for raising you and supporting your relationship without mentioning money stuff.

If you paid for everything yourselves, you can skip the parent thanks or just keep it to “thank you for raising us” type sentiments.

There’s no rule that says you have to follow a specific formula. Make it work for your actual situation.

One More Full Example

“Hi everyone, I’m Alex and this is my wife Morgan. We just want to say thank you to all of you for being here tonight. We know some of you traveled really far and we appreciate it so much.

To our parents, we’re so grateful for everything. You’ve supported us through thick and thin. You taught us what it means to be partners and to build a life together. Thank you for being incredible examples.

To our friends who are here, you guys mean the world to us. You’ve celebrated with us through the good times and supported us through the hard times. We love you all.

Morgan, I still remember the first time I saw you at that party. You were wearing that blue dress and I thought wow, I need to talk to that person. Best decision I ever made. You make every day better just by being in it. I love you so much.

Everyone please stand and raise your glass with us. To love, to laughter, to happily ever after. Cheers!”

See? Not rocket science. Just genuine appreciation and a little bit of personality. You’re gonna do great.